Tree house

Our local development officer was contacted about a pitching for a TV programme. Build your community dream Tree house type idea. She had 3 days to get a proposal into the production company, explaining why our community needs a project to work together with members of the community to build a tree house. I was asked to do some design sketches, now having lived in wooden huts before & built myself sheds, shelters and a greenhouse from greenwood and reclaimed scraps, I have a rather organic approach to building design. With the turnaround time on this proposal there wasn't even time to get the ruler out- who needs straight lines anyway.

We have the community grounds, the small wooded area behind the Smithy Heritage Centre, where my former pottery building is- I helped plant many of these trees in 1991. We have the organisation in the 'Kirkton Woodland and Heritage group' who are looking into a community woodlands buy out. Now would we have the community interest & enthusiasm?

The TV people liked the initial proposal and put us on the UK short list of 8 projects, 3 of which will be filmed. A representative and her camera came up on Friday 8th to meet members of the community, and make a short film to take back to the producers.  There was actually a good and enthusiastic turnout to meet her at the Smithy, we had lots of children and young people, different community groups represented. We talked to camera as a group about why our community needs support to stop it dying out, to preserve culture & heritage, to give young people something to do, to bring diverse committees and people together. a few of us then did individual interviews on camera- always a bit nerve wracking!   It was wonderful to see the childrens very genuine enthusiasm and listen to what they had to say. They had a good run about the grounds and had some brilliant ideas where to build a treehouse & what we could do with it. We should find out this week if the programme will go ahead. Filming and building would start in October.



I also noticed that the willow dome on the grounds needed a little work, so went back on the Saturday to weave the new growth in. I managed to poke myself badly in the eye with a stick, scratch my eyeball, partially loose my vision for 2 days and had to get driven to A&E 65 miles away. Whats that about suffering for art?